New York legislation passed in January 2025
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — So far in New York's 2025 Legislative Session, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed six bills that passed in both the Assembly and the State Senate. Eleven more passed both houses.
The ratified legislation covers everything from milk products for hunger programs to expanded definitions of cannabis in agriculture. Here’s a breakdown of each signed bill:
- S735/A420 increases the amount of bonds the New York State Housing Finance Agency can issue for housing projects to $36.28 billion. Effective immediately.
- S757/A915 lets local social services districts use child care block grant funds for the presumptive eligibility period while a family's eligibility is being reviewed. Takes effect around July 26, 180 days after becoming law.
- S779/A596 adds a new agricultural representative to New York's State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council, bringing the total membership to 17. Effective on July 1.
- S780/A417 expands the definition of agricultural crops and products to include weed, categorizing cannabis cultivation under New York's agriculture laws alongside other farm goods. Effective immediately.
- S784/A917 cuts off subsidies for adoptive parents of disabled or hard-to-place children if they no longer support the child or if the child isn’t in their care. It restarts payments if the child returns. It also lets payments go directly to the child if they’re 18 or older and no longer living with adoptive parents.
- S795/A414 updates New York's Nourish New York program to include milk and dairy products as "surplus agricultural products" so they can be used in hunger relief efforts.